Sin is in our daily life

The texts today from the Roman Catholic Lectionary are for the feast of the Holy Innocent Martyrs who are those described as massacred by Herod in the Gospel today from Matthew. The pattern of massacre of those who we fear continues daily in the world. Friar Jude Winkler points out that the text today from the first letter of John is a dualistic treatment of the nature of sin. The truth hidden between the lines of the text agrees with the understanding of Paul that "all have sinned". From this point of view we realize that all of us depend on the forgiveness and mercy of God for reconciliation. The danger in the dualistic approach of the battle of those righteous before God against those who are condemned by sin is that it leads to exclusion, lack of mercy, violent repression and the most ungodly action against the "enemy". The prayer of the psalmist for the protection of the Divine against the 'enemy' indicates how God is Present with those who are persecuted and oppressed even if they are being attacked as our enemy. The approach of Herod who reacts in fear and violence is so visible among the powerful in all nations today. The warning to us is not to become Herod in our fear of those who we have excluded as sinners from our social, cultural and religious circles.